Day 188 | Trump says renewed US campaign against Iran won't last long

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Read more: Day 189 | Iran's Army says struck US bases in UAE, Kuwait over 'US military support'

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the Ali al-Taher area in southern Lebanon posed a threat of an invasion of the Galilee, not only to Kiryat Shmona and Metula.

Netanyahu said ‘Israeli’ forces removed weapons and computers from the area and claimed that Ali al-Taher Heights is now under ‘Israel’s’ control.

He also claimed that the infrastructure in the heights had been built over a period of nearly two decades.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it has redirected a total of 87 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz amid the US naval blockade of Iran.

The figure is up from the 86 vessels CENTCOM said it had diverted the previous day.

CENTCOM also said three ships have been disabled so far, while another two were boarded to ensure “total compliance” with the blockade.

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Ali al-Taher Heights in southern Lebanon “no longer poses a threat to us,” saying that ‘Israel’ had killed large numbers of fighters there.

Netanyahu’s remarks came after the ‘Israeli’ military claimed it had gained operational control over Hezbollah infrastructure in the heights area.

The development comes amid continued military activity in southern Lebanon and heightened tensions along the border.

US Vice President JD Vance said Washington is investigating reports that a US strike hit a wedding ceremony in Iran earlier this week, reportedly killing five people.

Asked about the reports, Vance said he was “extremely sceptical,” arguing that Iranian state media has not provided reliable accounts of events during the war.

He said the United States does not target civilians, adding that Washington would investigate the incident and learn from any mistakes if they occurred.

“Unlike the IRGC, the United States never targets civilians in combat,” Vance said. “We never will do that, we never have done that.”

Vance added that the US military seeks to learn from mistakes and improve its operations when incidents occur.

US Vice President JD Vance said Iran is “losing their capabilities by the day” amid the ongoing war.

Vance said Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz had become a “diminishing asset,” claiming that oil and gas flows through the waterway have nearly returned to levels seen before the war.

“My advice to the Iranians is to stop acting like crazy people and stop shooting at commercial shipping,” Vance said.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the economic pressure campaign launched by the Trump administration to force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations faces limited chances of success.

The newspaper said past sanctions against Russia, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela show that authoritarian governments can adapt to economic pressure through black markets, alternative trade routes and parallel financial systems.

According to the report, Iran has been developing similar mechanisms in cooperation with China and neighboring countries.

Experts cited by the newspaper said sanctions could inflict significant damage on Iran’s economy, but warned that economic pressure does not necessarily mean Tehran will agree to political or diplomatic concessions.

The release of Lebanese detainees held by ‘Israel’ came following US mediation between Lebanon and ‘Israel’, Axios reported, citing a US State Department official.

According to the report, the issue of the Lebanese detainees was discussed during the latest talks between Lebanon and ‘Israel’ in Rome.

The US mediation contributed to an agreement that led to the detainees’ release, the official said.

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is convinced of ‘Israel’s’ ability to remove what he called the Iranian threat and overthrow Iran’s regime.

Speaking at a Rosh Hashanah toast at the Kirya in Tel Aviv alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and members of the IOF General Staff Forum, Netanyahu said overthrowing the Iranian regime remains the “central mission” before ‘Israel’.

“This regime is currently crumbling. It is weaker than ever,” Netanyahu said, adding that overthrowing it was “not impossible” and “within reach.”

Addressing Iran and other adversaries, Netanyahu said: “Don’t mess with us,” claiming that ‘Israel’ has the power, determination and internal unity to overcome them.

Iranian attacks targeting Jordan and the Arab region began just "two hours after the war started," demonstrating an execution of a "premeditated policy rather than a reaction," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Vienna alongside his Austrian counterpart Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Safadi forcefully rejected arguments framing Jordan's defensive position as a liability, emphasizing that the Kingdom is a sovereign state acting to protect its national security.

“And I remind you that Iran started attacking Jordan and other countries in the region, particularly in our—in the Arab Gulf, two hours after the war started,” Safadi said in response to a question from a journalist.

“So that was an implementation of a premeditated policy rather than a reaction.”

تصريحات نائب رئيس الوزراء ووزير الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين أيمن الصفدي @AymanHsafadi عقب مباحثاته مع وزيرة الخارجية الاتحادية للشؤون الأوروبية والدولية في جمهورية النمسا بياته ماينل - رايسينغر في فيينا. pic.twitter.com/W9gYqB1qAd

— وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية (@ForeignMinistry) September 3, 2026

Addressing claims regarding foreign military presence in the country, Safadi said that Jordan does not host independent foreign bases, but rather maintains bilateral defense programs.

"There are no American, independent American bases in Jordan. They are American troops embedded in Jordanian bases as part of a long-standing cooperation that goes back to the days of the global coalition against ISIS," Safadi said.

He added that such arrangements are governed by formal agreements that explicitly detail "the roles and duties of those forces," noting that Jordan maintains similar defense cooperation with European allies, including Germany, France, and Austria.

Safadi underscored that hostile actions from Tehran are not a new development, highlighting a long pattern of regional interference.

"Iran has been attacking us and many other countries in the region long before even this war started," Safadi stated, noting that past actions included "meddling in internal affairs," "investing in proxies," and "clandestine operations that targeted the security and stability of many countries". He pointed specifically to ongoing cross-border security challenges, including "supporting drug trafficking" and "supporting weapons trafficking into Jordan".

"We're a sovereign country; we were not a party to this war, we are not a party to this war," Safadi added.

"Jordan is committed to dialogue; Jordan is committed to diplomatic, peaceful engagement to resolve crises. But at the same time, we're entitled to do whatever we believe is necessary to protect our country, protect our people, and protect our sovereignty".

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that the US military has “virtually unlimited amounts of Mid to High Grade Ammunition”, amid reports that its suffering from shortages due to the Iran war.

Trump, on Truth Social, slammed what he called “treasonous SCUM” who “refuses to accurately report on our Military Operation in Iran”.

He added that the US military has “far more [ammunition] than we could ever use for this, or for any other War (which is highly unlikely!), that could improbably take place”.

“In addition, we are producing Munitions at levels never seen before. We are stockpiling and preparing for any contingency that could happen,” Trump continued.

“The sales to Allies will soon again, begin,” he also announced.

Iranian mourners gathered for the funeral of victims killed in a US airstrike that hit a wedding in Kuhestak, along the Strait of Hormuz, on September 1.

Iranian authorities said at least four people, including a child, were killed and 68 others wounded in the strike.

The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at Laem Chabang port in Thailand this week covered in extensive rust from bow to stern, shocking observers after a marathon deployment.

Photos showed prominent “running rust,” worn and chipped paint, and algae buildup along the hull, waterline, flight deck edges, and sponsons, a stark contrast to its cleaner appearance during a brief stop in Guam last December.

The warship left its home port in San Diego on November 21, 2025, and has spent 286 days at sea, much of it in continuous high-tempo operations.

It supported combat and maritime blockade missions against Iran in the Middle East for months after being redirected from the Pacific, with only limited brief stops for supplies in Guam and Oman.

Aircraft carriers typically make port calls every 30 to 45 days for maintenance and rest; the Lincoln’s stretch far exceeded modern records, including more than 200 consecutive days without a full liberty call.

Experts described the corrosion as expected after prolonged exposure to saltwater without major upkeep opportunities, especially during combat.

“Rust along the waterline is not unusual on a ship that has spent 60 days or more of operations continuously at sea,” said Carl Schuster to CNN, a former US Navy captain who served three tours on Nimitz-class carriers.

He noted that fixing it at sea is impractical in operational conditions, requiring crews to be lowered to sand off rust, apply rust-preventative primer, and repaint with naval gray—work he estimated would take about 30 days of preservation efforts.

Other specialists echoed that the damage appears largely cosmetic and does not impair the carrier’s operations.

Retired US Navy Vice Admiral Robert Murrett told Newsweek the hull condition and missing paint at the waterline were “consistent” with more than nine months at sea.

William Freer, a research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, observed that while the wear looks extensive, the fact that a ship commissioned in 1989 could sustain such a prolonged period “is testament to the U.S. Navy’s ability to put ships through their operational paces when the need arises.”

Images shared by Iran's national broadcaster on September 3 show what it says are drones launched by the army, targeting US bases in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

Jordan strongly condemned Iranian attacks on Kuwait, which targeted a military camp and injured 10 members of the Kuwaiti armed forces. The assaults also hit a power plant and a water desalination facility, resulting in the death of one civilian of Indian nationality.

In a statement, Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates called the attacks “blatant violations of Kuwait’s sovereignty” and a “serious escalation threatening regional security and stability.” Jordan reaffirmed its full solidarity with Kuwait and pledged support for any measures taken to protect its sovereignty, security, and citizens.

The ministry extended condolences to the family of the deceased and wished a swift recovery to those injured.

In a rare statement, the chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed to avenge the victims of a US strike that hit a wedding on Wednesday overnight.

“To the esteemed and patient families of the noble martyrs of the criminal and terrorist attack by the aggressive and criminal United States regime on a wedding ceremony in the oppressed Kouhestak region of Hormozgan province,” the message by General Ahmad Vahidi, the IRGC’s Commander-in-Chief said according to Iranian media.

“Without a doubt, the pure blood of these oppressed martyrs, who in the height of their innocence and victimhood were brought down in blood and soil at the hands of the criminals of history and the evil-doers of our time, will never go unanswered,” Vahidi said.

“It will certainly catch up with those who carried out and ordered this heinous crime.”

At least four people were killed and dozens wounded in a late-night strike on the ceremony in Kuhestak in southern Iran, according to Iranian officials.

The US military did not address the wedding strike directly.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesman Tim Hawkins said "the US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC", referring to Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

Iran's Tasnim news agency on Thursday said six members of the Iranian army's naval forces were killed by US attacks on Tuesday as part of this week's renewed fighting.

"During the criminal attacks carried out by the US terrorist army two nights ago on September 1 on the south of the country, six members of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Navy were martyred," the report said without specifying where exactly they were killed.

Three Iranian army pilots were killed in a US strike, according to Iran’s Tasnim News agency.

“Three Iranian army pilots were martyred in an operation carried out by the US army against Iran two nights ago,” the statement said.

“They are Martyr Mojtaba Bagheri and Martyr Hamed Okati, pilots with the Iranian Army’s Navy, and Martyr Hossein Mahdavian, a pilot with the Iranian Army’s Air Force,” it added.

• The warning was reportedly delivered through Omani diplomatic channels, prompting US pressure that allegedly led to a postponement of the planned assault.
• More than a dozen IRGC officers, including senior military advisers, are reportedly sheltering with Hezbollah fighters in fortified positions beneath the ridge.

Tehran has warned Washington that it will launch a major retaliatory strike against ‘Israel’ if its forces launch a full-scale ground assault on the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The warning was conveyed to the United States via Omani diplomatic channels in mid-August.

According to regional sources, direct US pressure subsequently prompted the 'Israeli' military to postpone an imminent ground assault on the heavily fortified height, which overlooks significant swaths of southeastern Lebanon. 

Read more: Iran attacks US targets despite Trump threats

IRGC advisors and Hezbollah Siege at Ali al-Taher

More than a dozen officers from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including at least two senior military advisors, are allegedly sheltering alongside Hezbollah fighters within fortified underground positions beneath the ridge.

'Israeli' occupation forces positioned south of Ali al-Taher have designated the strategic ridge a "primary operational focus", attempting to enforce a tight military siege to cut off food and water resupply drones dispatched to those inside.

Hezbollah’s media office reaffirmed that its forces maintain operational control over the hill and stand ready to confront any 'Israeli' ground invasion/

"Iran considers any Israeli move on the ground in southern Lebanon, especially territorial expansion, a major violation of the Islamabad Agreement," the Hezbollah media office said. 

Washington denies receiving threats

When questioned regarding Tehran's diplomatic warning, the White House rejected the reports, stating briefly: "This is not accurate".

‘Israeli’ Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Thursday that his military will strike Iranian infrastructure, including energy, if the Islamic Republic decides to strike ‘Israel’.

“There are signs we are seeing that indicate that the heavy economic pressure Iran is under and the fear of an uprising and the fall of the regime could push them to desperate measures,” Katz says in statements cited by Hebrew media.

“An Iranian attack on Israel will free us from all constraints. We will strike all infrastructure — including energy infrastructure — and return Iran to the Stone Age and darkness,” he adds.